Traffic observing instrument



Oct. 18, 1932.. R, w; JOHNSON I 1,883,296

TRAFFIC OBSERVING INSTRUMENT Filed Jan. 22. 1931 gwomtov RWJoknson umrno s'raras PATENT OFFICE nor W. common, or conumius, omo, assreivon, BY masun assreimnnrs, we ran concom-nnowu rm courm, or omcnnu'rr, 01110, A coarona'rxon or care rnmrc onsmavmc msrnmm Application ma January as, 1081. Serial Io. 51am.

This invention relates to trafiic observing fully described and pointed out in the apinstruments and more particularly to trafiic pended claim. observing instruments of the type adapted In the accompanying drawing: for use on motor vehicles and similar con- Figure 1 is a top plan view artly in secve ances. tion of a vehicle equipped'wi my new de- 50 e drivers seat in a motor vehicle is usvice v v ually justback of the steering wheel and nor- Figure 2 is a top plan view of my improved mally at the left side of the vehicle so that traific observing instrument, particularly when the so-called closed type Figure 3 is a side elevation of my improved of motor vehicle is employed the person opdevice turned to a proper working angle, and 5 crating the motor vehicle is confined durin Figure 4 is atranverse sectional view taken that time within the body of the vehicle itsel on the line 4-4 of Figure 3. It has been found e ecially difiicult if not Referring more particularly to the drawimpossible particular y when conditions of ing, the numeral 1 refers to the body portion heavy traflic prevail, for the operator of the of an automobile or motor vehicle w ich in motor vehicle to obtain any view of the traf this'instance is of the closed type. Secured fic conditions of the road ahead because the to the forward post 2 of the body by means 0 erator of the motor vehicle has his vision of a threaded bolt or screw 3 is a bracket 4. o soured by the rear of the precedin vehicle The bracket 4 is located exteriorly of the body 0 so that in order to observe the tra c condiand when positioned as shown in Figure 1 is tions ithas heretofore been necessary to direct at the left and in advance of the steering the vehicle slightly out of the line of traific to wheel 5 of the automobile. Extending outenable the driver to observe conditions of wardly from the bracket is a horizontal portraflic. Obviously, such a practice is not only tion 6. Vertically carried by the outer end inconvenient but dangerous and presents a of the horizontal portion is an eye bolt 7 which 79 real hazard on all highways where motor veis provided with the usual nut 8 and washer hicles are 'opfrated. 9 which permits the eye bolt to be securely It is an o ject of my invention to provide fastened to the horizontal portion and at the meanswhich will transmit to the eye of the same time permits of the adjustment of the operator of the vehicle an image of the preeye bolt about its vertical axis. Received in ceding trafiic conditions even though the the eye. bolt 7 is the reduced end of a hori drivers normal field of vision is obscured byv zontal arm 10 which is provided with the precedin trafiic or vehicles. usual nut 11 and washers 12. It will be oh- 3 It is a urther object of my invention to proserved that by loosening the nut 11 the hori vide means whereby the driver of the motor zontal arm 10 may be adjusted about its hori vehicle is able to observe trafiic conditions in zontal axis. advance of the preceding vehicle and which Vertically positioned on the outer end of means will not mterfere or obstruct in any the horizontal arm 10 is a metallic opaque way the drivers normal fieldof vision to the frame 13 preferably rectangular in outline.

The frame 13 iszprovidedwith an axially With these and other objects in view,whichdepending stud or bolt 14 which is received will appear as the description proceeds, the in a vertical bore in the outer end of the invention consists in the novel features of horizontal arm 10 and is provided with washconstruction, combinations of elements and ers 1d and a threaded nut 16. By means arrangement of parts hereinafter to bemore of this constructlon the frame 13 may be provided with inwardl extending flanges 21.

Positioned within t e frame 13 and retained therein against displacement by means of the flanges 21 is a prism 22. When so positioned the prism 22 is entirely surrounded by the opaque frame 13 so that there is exposed but two vertically extending faces of the prism each occupying a pllsine vertically disposed with respect to the ot er.'

I prefer to position the bracket 4 on the forward post 2 so that the prism 22 will be supported in approximately the plane of the eyes of the motor vehicle operator. The frame 13 is then adjusted so that the prism 22is positioned with its thicker vertical edge 23 in advance of its thinner vertical ed e 24 and toward the side of the automobile ody as shown in. Figure 1.

pable of adjustment about its vertical axis, a prism within said frame, said prism havin strai ht sides and being substantially triangu alin horizontal cross section, the base of said triangle being arranged towards the vehicle and at such position relative thereto that the rear face of the prism is substantially at right angles to the vehicle operatorsline of vision..

In testimony whereof I aflixmy si ature.

ROY W. JO SON.

When so positioned, the prism 22 is unobstructed b preceding vehicles and by means of its re ractive properties makes visible to the eye of the driver of the motor vehicle a correct ima e of the preceding traflic conditions as indicated diagrammatically at 25. In other words, In improved device enables the operator 0 a motor vehicle, without moving his car from the lane or line of travel, to observe traflic conditions in advance with the same accuracy and facility as if he were standing on the running board of the motor vehicle.

When my improved device is positioned on the automobile body as indicated in Figure 1, this complete observation of trafiic conditions in advance may be obtained and at the same time the normal field of vision of the operator of a motor vehicle is entirely unobstructed so that when there are no conditions of traflic obtained, there is no apparatus in front of the windshield to interfere with the drivers vision.

My improved device is simple in its construction and positive in its adjustments and when properly constructed adds to the appearance of the motor vehicle to which it is attached.

\Vhat is claimed is:

In a trafiic observing instrument for motor vehicles, a bracket ada ted to be secured to the side and exterior of the body of said vehicles, a horizontally extending arm adjust-- ably secured at one end to said bracket, a vertically arranged open sided frame carned by the other end of said arm and ca- 

